


And I Feel Like An Oblivious Walnut In This Chili's Tonight

by lysiabeth



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2018-12-20 23:15:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11931381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lysiabeth/pseuds/lysiabeth
Summary: Plot twist: Sokka doesn't have any problem with Zuko kissing guys if it's Sokka he's kissing





	1. Honey, You've Got A Big Storm Comin'

**Author's Note:**

> She's back, with even more commas and italicised text!
> 
> Anyways I read [this story](https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/straight-guy-worries-hes-homophobic-gay-roommate-ends-falling-love/#gs.YGSLApQ) ages ago - if you haven't read it I 100% recommend that you do because, wow, like they say romance is dead - and then randomly remembered it this morning and thought...hey...let's make ourselves cry AGAIN by basing a fic off it!
> 
> Uh, this is un-beta'd and I'm also posting this at half-past-midnight :) also I've got like 3 other chapters to post, just wanted to see if anyone was interested in this before I posted the whole thing

It wasn’t like Sokka was a prude. Far from it, if he was going to be his usually over-confident self. He’d had plenty of action, so to say, with plenty of beautiful and interesting girls, right from high school. Yet, for some reason, this was different.

He should start from the beginning, he supposes. When, a few weeks ago, when Sokka had walked into Zuko’s room to borrow a highlighter. What he thought he would see was Zuko huddled over his incredibly small, standard size built in desk, muttering about his upcoming business exam.  Yet instead Sokka had been met with the sight of him on his bed with some guy, who Sokka hadn’t even known was over, the two of them looking debauched and slightly out of breath. 

Sokka thought the thickness in his throat was embarrassment at first. He’d muttered his apologies and nodded at the guy as he left Zuko’s room, padding back to the dining table to finish off his work for the afternoon. Except, he couldn’t concentrate. Jiggling his leg up and down, Sokka’s attention kept diverting to the clock on the microwave, Zuko’s door, and back to the clock again. Two hours and twenty-eight minutes later (not that Sokka had been keeping track, or anything), Zuko’s door finally opened, and Sokka craned his neck slightly to try and hear the farewells the two guys were likely saying. Unfortunately for Sokka’s curiosity – because that’s all it was, it wasn’t like he was prying or anything – they must have said everything inside, because the guy closed the door quickly behind him, said a polite “See ya!” to Sokka as he passed the table, and let himself out. 

Sokka didn’t know if that made him feel better or worse.

Sokka turned back to his notes, attempting to go over the equation he had been working his way through, when he heard Zuko’s door open again. Expecting him to come into the kitchen, Sokka looked up, and instead caught the sight of Zuko’s back as he made his way to the bathroom. Sokka had to wear glasses for long distance, and given he was working with small text he didn’t have them on at that moment, but even with his mediocre short sightedness, he couldn’t miss the dark purple mark on the meaty part of Zuko’s right shoulder. 

That feeling he got when he’d burst into Zuko’s room earlier was back, and the tightness spread to Sokka’s stomach, and caused him to clench his fist. Something felt very wrong, and Sokka just couldn’t put his finger on it. Sokka took a sip of water from his water bottle next to him, attempting to almost wash the feeling away. Hearing the shower start, Sokka attempted to push the image of Zuko’s hickey out of his mind, and started on another equation.  

It was about one month after moving in together that Zuko told Sokka he was gay. They met a few hours after Sokka had moved in, and it had been stilted for the first week or so until Zuko just blurted it out one afternoon.

“Oh, dude. Is that why you were totally uninterested in Ariana Grande’s VMA performance I showed you?” Sokka had asked, and Zuko looked at him like he wanted to strangle him – something Sokka could only explain because he had been on the receiving end of it so many times.

“As much as I like you not freaking out about it, this also isn’t really something I’m comfortable joking about, not yet.” Zuko bit out, and Sokka swallowed, before lightly punching Zuko on the arm.

“Sorry dude, it’s like an innate reaction to make a joke out of stuff by now.” Sokka shrugged. “It’s totally cool, like, good for you, man.” Sokka had said, and Zuko tensed for a second, before relaxing his shoulders and smiling.

“Well. Okay then.” Zuko had said, the two of them falling into an almost-uncomfortable silence, before Zuko looked at the time and had asked if Sokka wanted to walk to the new burger place down the road, instead of making another variation of potatoes, meat and vegetables for dinner.

Things were cool between them, from then. Seemed like the two of them just needed to open more around each other, and Sokka found they got along way better than he would have ever thought. Over the course of a few weeks, stunted conversation turned into friendly banter, which then turned into flirting. Sokka didn’t mind. A grab on the bicep here, winks across a table during stats tutorials were all fun and games, and he couldn’t deny that dancing with Zuko when they rarely went to the student bar was better than dancing by himself, or in a group if other sweaty eighteen year olds either.

Sokka was still sifting through all this when Zuko emerged from the bathroom, steam floating out of the doorway. He had wrapped himself in a towel, slung low on his hips, and Sokka nipped at his thigh through his towel as he walked past him to go to the fridge.

“Sokka, I swear to God, the next time you do that I will choke you out.” Zuko gasped, side swatting Sokka on the back of his pony tail, and Sokka snorted.

“Right, because you’ve followed through on that the past three times you’ve threatened it, huh.” He said, turning around in his seat to watch Zuko as he rummaged through the fridge. As he stood, Sokka raked his eyes up his back, noticing how all his muscles moved, and then Sokka stopped on the hickey. It was dark, which meant it was at least a day old due to how long it took to form that colour, but it wasn’t yellowing, which meant it was recent. Sokka thought back to the guy from that afternoon, and quickly turned back to his work before Zuko could catch him staring.

“Sorry about this afternoon, I should have mentioned yesterday that Adam would be staying the night.” Zuko said, wiping the cranberry juice off from around his lips. Sokka felt his neck and cheeks heat up, and he shrugged.

“All good, dude. Teaches me I need to knock more often, I guess.” Sokka said, and Zuko slumped down next to him, picking at his materials engineering textbook and pulling a face. Usually, Sokka would pull a face back, but he was too bust thinking about Zuko and Adam. Adam, what a stupid name, Sokka thought bitterly. Sokka flicked a look at Zuko’s shoulder again, and his stomach turned as he thought about how hard Adam would have had to suck to get it that colour, his imagination running wild thinking up all the various positions the two guys could have been in when it happened.

Sokka jumped out of his chair, and Zuko jumped next to him, dropping his textbook closed and looking up at Sokka with a stricken look.

“You okay, buddy?” Zuko asked, and Sokka fumbled for an excuse.

“Aang! He has this um, lizard- He got a new lizard! And I was meant to facetime him so I’m gonna go do that and then I can start dinner. Yeah.” Sokka pushed his chair in, and ruffled Zuko’s hair as he passed him, before darting to his room. Closing his door, Sokka leant against it, and banged it gently against the hard surface. Whatever the hell was going on, Sokka hoped it would sort itself out soon – because this shit was getting weird.

\--

Sokka checked the microwave clock, and then his phone, just in case daylight savings hadn’t snuck up on him without noticing. Once double-checking they both matched, Sokka had a sinking feeling in his gut that Zuko wouldn’t be making it to brunch with him and Toph 

Despite their conflicting and busy schedules, the three of them tried to meet every two weeks, just to wind down and focus on something that was not uni work. As they all had different degrees, it worked pretty well. Zuko had been iffy to join the two of them – which may have been due to the fact that Sokka and Toph had returned home a few too many times tipsy, thanks to God’s greatest creation (day drinking), and it seemed like today would be another one he missed. Though this time, it had nothing to do with Toph’s inability to count Sokka’s drinks. Glancing at his phone a final time, Sokka pocketed it, grabbed his keys and coat, and made his way to the café where he was meeting Toph. Due to waiting around for Zuko, he was already late, and he could already imagine Toph sitting down at a table, sipping on tea with pursed lips, and deciding whether she should be worrying about him or ripping him apart for being late.

Sokka made his way down to the residential hall exit, and towards the campus. Despite it being a Saturday campus was still lively, mostly with the architecture students who were cramming for their final project, but others who were studying for the upcoming exams, just as Sokka had been. Sokka scowled, thinking back to last night. He couldn’t even remember what he had said to the guy Zuko had over, just remembers them sitting there at the table, their heads close, with the guy pulling at the hair on the nape of Zuko’s neck. Sokka had remembered huffing at the two of them as he hung up his coat on one of the pre-installed hooks on the wall next to the bench, and Zuko pulling away from the guy to turn to Sokka, sending him a funny look before waving at him.

“How’s it going, buddy?” Zuko had asked, and Sokka shrugged.

“Would be great if I hadn’t had to stay in the lab until seven on a Thursday night, but what can you do?” Sokka asked, very pointedly trying not to look at the two boys. Sokka couldn’t figure out what irked him so much. Ever since he’d walked in on Zuko those few weeks ago, he would find himself getting so uncomfortable when Zuko bought guys over. He couldn’t pin it down to why – since Adam, there’d only been at least three guys who he had seen around, all on one occasion, with four including the one sitting at the table. Sokka’s mood darkened when he noticed he was sitting in the chair he usually sat on, and he made his way to his room, dumping his things from the day on his bed to deal with later.

Out in the living area, he could hear the two guys laughing, and Sokka turned back out, to see what they were up to. Zuko was showing the guy something on his phone, their faces close again, and Sokka dropped his ‘Intro to Mechanical Engineering’ textbook onto the table with a thud. 

“Hey, Zuko, do you guys mind? I have a test for this next week I kinda need to study for.” Sokka said, placing his pens down on the table too, and Zuko looked up at him with a blank face.

“Yeah, I’ll move my stuff.” Zuko said, pulling what looked like his econ notes towards him and into a neat pile, but making no move to get off the table.

“Dude, seriously, I need the space.” Sokka gritted out, noticing how the other guy’s hand was still holding onto Zuko’s hand, despite the meme Zuko had probably been showing him long gone.

“Yeah, and you have half the table.” Flippantly, Zuko motioned to the table, and Sokka rolled his eyes. Any other night, and Sokka would have happily sat down across from Zuko, the two of them studying in a comfortable quiet, only breaking it to offer the other a snack or drink. Tonight, for some reason, he wasn’t in the mood. It was that, that _feeling_ again, the one that clawed up his stomach and into his throat, making his ears buzz and face heat. Despite his attempts to stop it, Sokka couldn’t shake whatever it was, and it seemed to only rear its ugly head when Zuko was around other guys.

“Well I need more than that. I’ve got a fuck ton of notes to go through, and you two aren’t doing anything mildly interesting, so can’t you just fuck off to your room or something?” Sokka snapped, and this time Zuko did look up at him, a hard look on his face. Any other time, and Sokka would have immediately taken that back – actually, scratch that. Any other time, and Sokka would never have even spoke to Zuko like that in the first place.

“Hey, no worries. I gotta go anyways. Thanks for having me over.” The guy said, going to stand, and Sokka muttered under his breath.

Sokka could see Zuko tense. It was subtle, but after living with him for almost half a year gave away his tells – his clenched fist at his side, the slight intake of breath. He was irritated, even bordering on pissed, but Sokka didn’t care – that’s what he got for bringing over guys.

 _Dude_ , a voice in Sokka’s head asked, and Sokka almost gave himself whiplash as he processed what he had just thought. He was too busy going through a million feelings in his mind. He heard the door click closed, and Sokka immediately felt calmer, less on edge, less like he needed to…defend himself?

“What _the fuck_ is your problem?” Zuko hissed, turning from the door after a second of (probably) collecting himself, and Sokka felt as if he’d been slapped, flinching slightly at Zuko’s tone.

“What? Nothing. I don’t have a problem.” Sokka stumbled over his words. His tummy was still in knots and his ears were ringing.

“Well clearly you do! I know you like to joke about how oblivious I can be, but this is like the second time you’ve gotten angry at me having a guy over.” Zuko started, and Sokka felt his cheeks burn, the feeling of guilt and shame quickly bubbling over his anger.

“I thought you were cool with it? You seemed fine at the start of the year – what’s changed?” Zuko asked, looking Sokka square in the eyes, and Sokka bit at his lip.

“I- Nothing’s changed. We’re cool man it’s, sorry I guess I’m just stressed with all of the work I have to do before exams and whatever.” Sokka lied, and Zuko sent him a blank look.

“Right. Is it that I bring them over then? You have no problem with me being with guys, but once it’s in your face it’s an issue?” Zuko accused, and Sokka gaped at him. “I mean, it’s not like you can complain! I put up with weeks of you and Suki’s – whatever the hell that was – but I can’t do the same?” Zuko asked, and his face looked crushed, despite his harsh tone.

“No! No, absolutely not it’s… Zuko, I couldn’t care less who you slept with.” Sokka said, kicking himself for even being rude to Zuko’s date in the first place. What Sokka thought was a good reply, however, seemed to have the opposite effect, as Zuko reeled back slightly, his face falling before he ran his hands through his hair and blew air out of his nose.

“I- Whatever. I think I just need to go cool off at a friend’s. Don’t wait up for me, or whatever.” Zuko grunted, acting as he had when the two had met during orientation. Sokka was lost for words, didn’t have a clue as to what he could say to make the situation better, and so stood, gormless, with his backpack still on, as Zuko grabbed his coat and keys, and walked out of the door.

Sokka had made it to the café by the time he had internally scrutinized the whole affair. Brushing off the waitress at the front, he stood on his toes to spot Toph, and sure enough there she was, bundled up in a poncho that probably cost more than Sokka's entire outfit, sipping on tea and drumming her fingers against the table top. Shit.

“Sorry, sorry.” Sokka mumbled as he approached the table, holding his hands up in a ‘I’m your best friend who has (hardly) ever done you wrong in your life, please don’t kill me for being ten minutes late’ gesture. He pulled out the chair opposite and flopped down, unzipping his coat and making to take it off when-

“Where’s hot head?” Toph asked, cocking her head. At first, Toph’s ability to sense pretty much everything around her with just her ears had freaked Sokka out. Then he had found it the coolest thing ever, which then turned into something that just came with Toph. However, today he wished she didn’t have Matt Murdock-like senses, because it really ruined his vibe.

Because Toph’s question shouldn’t have elicited any other response other than “He couldn’t make it.” Even a simple “We had an argument, I’ll tell you after we order our food”, would have sufficed, but Sokka was worked up from his thought process on the walk over, had started to mentally go through all the interactions he’d had with the guys Zuko bought over, and before he could clamp his stupid, traitorous big mouth closed, and sighed.

“Toph, do you think I’m a homophobe?”


	2. Me, Living My Life: Chaotic Stupid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He’s kind of a dick.”
> 
> “So are you.” Zuko said, and Sokka looked up at him with an offended look.
> 
> “Well, that’s different.” Sokka sniffed, hitting the bed base with the palm of his hand, and Zuko chortled.
> 
> “Why, because I’m not fucking you?” Zuko asked, and Sokka’s hand slipped, missing the bed base completely and instead hitting the bed frame.

The second guy Zuko had over that Sokka saw - which for some reason brought in an unwelcome thought that Zuko could be seeing guys Sokka didn’t know about, but that was something Sokka squished pretty promtly – was someone Sokka actually knew. Sorta.

“Yo, _that_ Sokka is your roomie?” Jet had asked, pulling his head up from where it was (Sokka assumed) lip-locked to Zuko’s (who was lying on the couch, out of sight), and Sokka stood in front of the fridge, bleary eyed, as he tried to come to terms with what he was seeing in front of him.

“Dude, you’re ripped.” Jet exclaimed, and Sokka looked down at himself, wishing that he wasn’t an underwear only sleeper.

“Uh.” Sokka started, not knowing what else to say, and that was when Zuko sat up. Which was fine. Just. Zuko and Jet-from-astronomy, lying on his couch, both without a shirt on, both smelling of alcohol and, this was fine! Sokka felt fine.

“Like, seriously, I kinda saw some form under those Henley’s you wear like, all the fuckin’ time, but my God. Zuko, you mind if I ditch you for your roomie instead?” Jet teased, and Sokka thought he saw Zuko’s face darken. Sokka was about to reply: ‘Hey dude, thanks, but I really don’t swing that way’, but before he got the chance, the fridge began to beep due to it being left open for so long. Sokka turned his attention back to the fridge ( _Chocolate milk_ , some part of his brain reminded him), and behind him he could hear movement. Someone barked out a laugh, and Sokka turned again to see as Jet was pulling on his shirt and Zuko-

“Did you get attacked?” Sokka blurted out, noticing scratch marks all down his back, and even in the dim light Sokka couldn’t miss the way Zuko’s cheeks flamed as he quickly turned to meet Sokka’s gaze.

“I wouldn’t call it an attack. Maybe the best fuck of his life, though.” Jet supplied, and suddenly any dreariness Sokka was feeling had dissipated, his eyes widening as his grip on the milk bottle tightened.

“Maybe you should be focusing on your grades, instead of fucking. Because I know which F would be best to give up for another, if you get what I’m saying.” Zuko snapped, and Jet smirked at him. There was something about his gaze that irked Sokka – kind of like the one Katara would have when she knew something Sokka didn’t, or that Aang wore when he had a secret he couldn’t tell anyone.

It frustrated the hell out of him when they both had that look, and seeing it on Jet just caused his anger to bubble.

“Don’t worry about me, snookums. Though, maybe you should focus more on fucking – heard it’s been a bit of a dry spell since Suki left you high and dry.” Jet replied, and Sokka slammed the milk bottle onto the table, seething.

“Eat shit, _Jethro._ ” Sokka snarled. “And get the fuck out of my flat.”

“I’m Zuko’s guest, man. Though if it’s something you have a problem with, I don’t mind waiting while you two hash it out.” He said, clearly impressed that he could get under Sokka’s skin, and Sokka drew a breath in, ready to rip off his fucking head-

“Sokka.” Zuko’s voice was sharp. He was dressed now, or rather, back in his pyjamas again, and Sokka turned to him, his breathing already slowing. Zuko looked tired, his hair up in all angles, and Sokka knew that look well enough to know that Zuko was. Well. Fucked out, was what Sokka’s brain supplied him with, and the anger was back again.

“Can you just- my bed base broke again, that’s why we were out here, can you help me fix it?” Zuko asked, and if Sokka wasn’t feeling uncomfortable already, he practically squirmed at that point _. It broke while they were screwing!_ His brain supplied, and Sokka followed wordlessly into Zuko’s room. Despite trying not to, he couldn’t help think – who fucked who? Was it Zuko who, who took it? He had been under Jet on the couch. But then again, there was all sorts of positions guys could do – just like any hetero couple. Sokka blinked as Zuko flicked on the light, and he surveyed the room. Clean, like usual, everything in its place, and Sokka zeroed in on the bed. He noticed the messy sheets, the pillows half falling off, and there at the end, how the mattress was slightly sunken.

“You know the drill.” Zuko said, going to lift up the mattress so Sokka could crawl under the bed and push the pathetic metal base up and back into its correct position. He was getting onto his knees when he (stupidly) asked,

“So… Jet, huh?”

“That a problem?”

“No, no problem. It’s just… Nevermind.”

“Just what, Sokka?”

“Well, I mean. It’s _Jet_.”

“And that’s supposed to mean…”

“He’s kind of a dick.”

“So are you.” Zuko said, and Sokka looked up at him with an offended look.

“Well, that’s different.” Sokka sniffed, hitting the bed base with the palm of his hand, and Zuko chortled.

“Why, because I’m not fucking you?” Zuko asked, and Sokka’s hand slipped, missing the bed base completely and instead hitting the bed frame.

“I mean. Sure. What do you even see in him?” Sokka asked, and his voice did not sound bitter. At all.

“He’s hot.” Zuko shrugged, and Sokka snorted.

“He’s a sleazebag! He’s riding through college on his mom’s merit, he does everyone he gets with dirty.”

“I’m a big boy, Sokka. Think I can handle myself.” Zuko said, and winked down at him before dropping the mattress onto the bed base Sokka had managed to put in place. Sokka stayed put for a while, before wriggling out from under the bed. Zuko held a hand out for him, pulling him up, and Sokka must have misjudged how strong Zuko was, because before he knew it, he was falling onto him, his arms grasping onto Zuko’s biceps as he pushed him into the wall behind him.

“Shit, sorry buddy.” Sokka replied, pulling his hands away and attempting to untangle himself, and then Zuko was pulling onto his forearm.

“You okay?” He asked, concern in his voice and his eyes skimming over Sokka’s face. The anger from earlier had subsided, and Sokka was suddenly very aware of Zuko’s firm grip on him. He swallowed.

“Yeah man, totally. Just don’t wanna see you getting hurt. Katara’s been through enough break ups one guy has to guide someone through in a lifetime.” He joked, and then Zuko’s face was blank again, and his hand was slowly slipping off Sokka to rest at his side again.

“Right. I’ll uh, I’ll tell Jet to clear out, don’t wanna keep you up or whatever before your eight am.” Zuko said, clearing his throat, before nudging Sokka out the way of the door so he could open it. Jet was leaning against the back of the couch, typing something on his phone with a bored expression on his face.

“You coming back to mine?” Jet asked, looking up at Zuko, and Sokka glared at him.

“Nah dude, gotta catch up with a TA in the morning. I’ll call you later this week though.” He said, and Jet nodded at him, sent that look back in Sokka’s direction, then made his way to the door and let himself out.

“See you in the morning, dude.” Zuko said, brushing his hand against Sokka’s shoulders as he passed him, and Sokka nodded. He waited until he heard Zuko’s door shut before he breathed again, letting out a shaky breath he hadn’t even realised he’d been holding, and made his way to the table to he could put the milk away.

This was becoming a serious problem. He knew Zuko liked to get around – no big deal. Sokka would be very much the pot calling the kettle black if he tried to even bring that up with him, but the awkwardness and downright anger Sokka felt whenever Zuko was with a guy was getting almost violent. He’d seriously felt like he could have punched the smug look off Jet’s face just earlier, but something about Zuko turning him down had settled him. He drummed his fingers against the table, then picked up the bottle, going for one more swig when-

Empty.

Jet. 

That fucker.

\-------

“Excuse me?” Toph asked, and Sokka’s eyes widened.

“I- Nothing. Fuck.” He sighed, resting his chin on his hand, and Toph’s amused look wavered, though Sokka could still see a slight upturn of her lips.

“You and Zuko get in a fight about a boy again?” She asked, and Sokka spluttered, mouthing at her before he realised she couldn’t see his response. However, something told him she already had a good idea of what it was, given her nonchalance.

“What- I- That- How the fuck?” Sokka spluttered, his head whirring.

“So you’re uncomfortable about Zuko being out and proud. It’s fine, that’s what happens when you only make friends with one gay person in high school.” Toph shrugged, and then kicked Sokka in the shin, motioning to the waitress who was making her way over. Sokka held his tongue to send a smile in the direction of the waitress, who slid up to them, pulling out a small pad and pen from her back pocket.

“What can I get you?” She asked, her pony tail bobbing, and Toph began rambling off the order, having already decided for Sokka what he was getting. She chose this place because their website could be transferred onto her voice-app-thing that read things out for her, and Toph liked to be prepared when out in public places. Sokka smiled at the waitress as she read the order back to them, and held the smile until the waitress turned towards the kitchen.

“I’m not uncomfortable with Zuko being gay.” Sokka hissed, and even without sight, Toph could send Sokka looks that made him squirm in a way only his Gran-Gran could manage.

“Riiight. The whole, getting angry at the guys he brings over, trying to wheedle information about his hook-ups, the whole total insensitivity to Zuko trying to talk about relationships or sex with you – totally normal. Totally how you would treat me or Suki if we tried to talk to you about that stuff, right?” Toph asked, and Sokka opened his mouth to reply, and for the first time in his life, had no comeback.

“I am an asshole.” Sokka said, mostly to himself, and slumped even further in his seat.

“Hey. At least you’re trying to like, I dunno. Approach this and make it better. You’d be an even bigger asshole if you ignored it.” Toph said, finishing off her final cup of tea from the pot she had been sipping her way through, and Sokka shrugged.

“I guess.” He sulked, and Toph nodded, then brought up his plans for the break.

“You gonna get to see baldy?” Toph asked, referring to Katara’s boyfriend – and Sokka’s best friend – Aang.

“Yeah. He’s buzzing. I’m buzzing. The last few times I’ve been home he’s been away, but this time he’s working locally so that should be great.” Sokka says, and is interrupted by the waitress placing his B.L.T in front of him. Sokka digs in, but not before passing Toph some cutlery from the artsy pot in the middle of the table, and the two are quiet as they finish brunch. It goes rather quickly – Toph has a project to finish, like the rest of them – and Sokka, despite having to come to terms with the realisation that he’s an accidental homophobe, is actually feeling a bit better.

As he’s approaching the front door to his apartment, Sokka’s phone buzzes against his thigh, and he pulls it out, expecting a message from Toph to organise their next catch up. As Sokka reads over the text, he doesn’t know why he gets the feeling that mirrors the one he had when Yue had told him she couldn’t continue dating him if he was going to make the move to Berkeley.

**Zuko, 11:48am**

_Staying with Mai for a few days. We have econ to do and don’t wanna disturb your studying. I’ve already grabbed some stuff so probably won’t see you around much. Text me if there's anything concerning the room._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I uhhhh have no explanation for this. I hate Jet, he's a dick. I promised myself I wouldn't add him into this but yet here he his! There he go!


	3. Are you there, Spirits? It's me. What the fuck.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Holy shit. I am an oblivious walnut.” Sokka said, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
> 
> “A jealous oblivious walnut.” Suki supplied, and Sokka smacked her knee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhh anyways I'm a very impulsive writer so that's why these chapters are so quick (and long!)  
> Thanks so far for the kudos and hits so far, honestly I was expecting this to just fulfil my own needs tbh but here we are.
> 
> As always, this is un-beta'd, so any mistakes are mine!

Sokka, despite Katara’s objections, is not moping. He’s just tired, you know, after finishing off his assignments and cramming for exams, which, yes, they are two months away, but Sokka prides himself in being good at exams. Besides, it was his break – he’s allowed to act how he wanted.

Katara had called him a few days and explained that Aang had been asked to go work at one of the conferences in Toronto, and would Katara be able to come and stay with Sokka during his break, instead of him coming home. Sokka had hesitated in giving her an answer, then realised that Zuko was likely going home to see his uncle, so the apartment would have been empty anyways.

She had arrived yesterday, and Sokka should have whisked her back out the front door and into the motel down the road when she looked around, saw the nest he had made on the couch, pulled a face at the unwashed dishes, and sent him a Look. The Look had continued into today, and Katara was downright pitying him. It was ridiculous – she didn’t even know what was bothering him, so she wasn’t allowed to be pitiful. Besides, how do you tell someone that you’ve been acting (accidentally) homophobic towards your roommate for the past three and a half months?

And, ah. The roommate in question. As if that doesn’t open a can of worms. Sokka knows he’s away for only half the week, and since he left on Sunday, that means he should be back on Thursday, and maybe by then they would be able to talk. However, whenever Sokka tried to go through in his head exactly what he would say – “hey, bro, sorry I’ve been accidentally homophobic, what can you do, you know” – Sokka just felt worse. He was in a spiral, and Katara had noticed the second she’d caught him eating yoghurt out of the pot without a spoon.

An intervention was coming – he could feel it. And it did, that afternoon, though it wasn’t something Sokka was expecting at all. As he was making his way through the second season of Star Trek, someone knocked at the door. Katara lifted her head from where she was leant over the coffee table, and jumped to her feet, running to the door.

“Thank God you’re here – I was getting desperate!” Katara sighed, opening the door fully. Sokka lifted his head so it was peeking above the back of the couch, and gaped.

“He’s been like this for two days.” Sokka heard Katara say, and Sokka knelt on his knees.

“No one asked you, Katara.” He snapped, and Katara shot him a dirty look. Suki, on the other hand, pulled off her coat and slung it over one of the chairs at the kitchen table, making her way to the living area.

“I spoke to Toph.” She said, and Sokka stared up at her, and Sokka’s frown deepened.

“Then Katara sent me a text this morning asking if I knew why you were so down, so I told her what Toph had said to me.” Suki continued, and Katara nodded.

“I think you need to tell us the details of your predicament.” Katara added, and Sokka stared, open eyed, up at them.

“I- What predicament?” Sokka asked, feigning innocence, and Suki sighed.

“The fact that you get angry at the guys Zuko brings over, which you think is because you’ve been projecting homophobia without even knowing it…?” Suki trailed off, and Katara snorted.

“It’s not funny, Katara! Zuko hates me and I didn’t even realise what I had been doing wrong!” Sokka wailed, and Katara sent him a sympathetic look, and went to sit down next to him.

“I don’t actually think you have done anything wrong… At least, not in the way you think you have.” Suki said, coming to sit down next to him, and Sokka shook his head.

“Well, what else could it be?” Sokka asked, making a mental note to call Toph later and chew her out for ratting him out to Suki, and also ask her exactly what it was she had told her.

“Well… Sokka, when you’ve gotten angry at these guys, what is it you’re angry about? Because Toph told us that she heard from Zuko, that you seem to just be snappy when they’re here in your apartment…” Suki started, and Sokka froze – Zuko had felt so uncomfortable that he had gone to _Toph_?

“I don’t know! This is dumb. Let’s just forget about it so I can continue to feel bad about myself until Zuko comes home and I can try to explain myself.” Sokka started, and Suki flicked him in the ear.

“No! We’re gonna talk this through. Okay, so when you see a guy over, what is it that you feel?” Suki asked, and Sokka thought back – to Jet, to Adam, to the other two guys he’d seen – and recalled the pure anger he felt.

“I dunno. It’s hard to explain like, I get the lump in my throat and my tummy feels all funny, like I need to vomit, you know? And like my fingers feel all tingly and stuff. And like, one time Zuko had a hickey, and I got really mad at that because like, well, you don’t just get hickeys from people you’re hooking up with! Like, you know? It’s bad taste!” Sokka excalimed, wringing his hands in the blanket on his lap, and Katara gasped lightly.

“Oh, Sokka! You oblivious walnut!” Katara said, and Sokka looked her, his brows furrowed.

“What?” He asked, his cheeks flushing as he heard Suki snort next to him, and Katara looked at him with a look of disbelief.

“You- The reactions you’re having- You’re not a homophobe, Sokka. It sounds like you’re jealous!” Katara said, and Sokka laughed. Out loud. For probably longer than he should have which turned into a very shaky sob-like sound, and he dragged his hands down his face.

“I think Katara is right. I mean, what else has happened to cause you to lash out at him?” Suki asked, and Sokka took a deep breath, and told them.

The flirting after Zuko had come out, the feeling Sokka got when he walked in on Zuko, and then how it kept coming back whenever Sokka saw him with another guy, how Sokka couldn’t even think about Zuko kissing other boys because it always led to him thinking about Zuko doing more than just kissing, and-

“Holy shit. I am an oblivious walnut.” Sokka said, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

“A _jealous_ oblivious walnut.” Suki supplied, and Sokka smacked her knee.

“I mean, but if I’m jealous… Am I gay?” Sokka asked, perplexed, and both girls shared a look. Suki shrugged.

“Maybe you’re bisexual? Though I don’t think you should put a label on it straight away. However, I think we can conclude, from this however, that you’re definitely not as straight as you thought you were.” Katara said, and Sokka nodded. He continued nodding, and Suki started talking.

“I mean, there was that guy you danced with the night we went to that frat party a few weeks ago – remember? And you had that weird obsession with Robbie Williams back in high school.” She said, and Sokka turned to her.

“You swore you’d never mention Robbie again!” Sokka whine, trying to exemplify the betrayal he felt, and Suki just shrugged at him.

“So, what happened then? Toph also said you had a fight.” Katara said and, Jesus, was there anything Toph hadn’t told them? Did he have to worry about their day drinking escapades being blown too? Sokka started jiggling his feet, his body overcome with excess energy.

“Well, a guy was over and the two of them – Zuko and the guy, obviously – were sitting at the table, which was cool but like, the guy had his hands all over Zuko and they were sitting really close and I just wanted to do my assignment, right? So I just snapped at them both a bit, but then Zuko blew up at me.

I mean, I guess it was warranted, he hadn’t really said anything to me about the other times, and he just asked why I was being such an asshole, and was all like ‘is it because I have them over, is that it?’ And then he brought up how I always bought you over when we had our thing, and he never complained so it was a bit rich coming from me.”

While Sokka was explaining, the girls were nodding along and sharing looks, listening intently.

“And I was like, hurt obviously. And then he said if I had a problem with who it was sleeping with, and I told him that no, I didn’t care who he slept with, because it’s like not my business right? And then he looked all sad for a second then told me he was going to a friend’s place to cool off, and he’s been avoiding me ever since.”

Sokka sat in silence while the girls processed what he had dumped on them, his leg jackhammering up and down.

Katara was the first to speak.

“So, we already know that you acted the way you did because you were jealous – you saw Zuko with another guy and snapped, but Zuko acting strange-“

“Hold on, Zuko isn’t avoiding you, he stayed with Mai for so long because her jackass father found out that she’d swapped her major from polsci to art history, and threatened to cut her college funding.” Suki said, and Sokka froze.

“What?” He asked, his mouth dry, and Suki nodded.

“Yeah. Ty Lee said she’s been an absolute mess – in, you know, a very deadpanned, silent Mai way.” Suki explained, and Sokka felt his heart race. Zuko hadn’t been avoiding him, which meant maybe things were still cool between them, which meant…

“As awesome as it feels to know I’m not a homophobic asshole, I’m now the loser who likes my roommate! And to add insult to injury, the feeling is probably totally not reciprocated.” Sokka sighed, and Katara shook her head.

“Maybe not. You said Zuko looked sad when you told him you didn’t care who he was sleeping with, right?” Katara asked, and Sokka nodded.

“Okay, and you also said there was flirting – which he engaged in, yes?” Katara asked, and Suki made an interested sound beside him.

“Yeah, Katara, but it was a joke. We were just being silly about it.” Sokka said, and then Katara biffed him around the side of his head.

“How you’ve gotten this far in your life is beyond me, Sokka. He intentionally brought up how you and Suki were together, he seemed to be parading these guys around you, made a scene with Jet, even. I mean, maybe he was intentionally trying to make you jealous.” Katara said, and Suki was giddy.

“Yeah! And like, he probably complained to Toph about it because she knew that you two told each other everything, and it would get back to you that he was frustrated!” Suki said, and Sokka’s head was spinning.

“I really need to talk to him.” Sokka said, making a move to get up, and Katara pulled on his arm.

“He’s away, what are you going to do, walk the four kilometres to his house in the rain?” Katara asked, and Suki stood as well.

“You also haven’t showered…” She said, but Sokka didn’t care. He felt pent up – like energy was physically buzzing under his skin – and tugged his arm out of Katara’s grip. He was about to tell them both to sit down, and let him handle himself, but he heard – and saw – the front door open.

Sokka’s heart stopped, and Katara and Suki both turned in sync to face the door, and Sokka watched as Zuko walked in, dripping wet, a duffel bag string over one shoulder, his keys in the other hand.

“Oh. Hi guys.” Zuko said, pushing back a few strands of wet hair from his forehead, and Sokka choked up.

“So as I was saying, Katara, the movie is at eight, and even though it’ only like six-ish, we could always go and get dinner now?” Suki asked, swooping in to save the day, and Katara nodded.

“Yeah, that sounds good. Let me just grab my coat from Sokka’s room.” Katara said, and the two girls left Sokka’s side, each saying hey to Zuko as he was hanging up his own coat.

“You three going out, huh?” Zuko asked, and Sokka, suddenly realising what a mess the living area was, wanted to dive under his duvet on the couch and never come out. It was like something had clicked inside of him – looking at Zuko made him feel as if his chest was actually expanding, and he just wanted to drag him into his arms and confess how sorry he was to him and explain the whole situation.

But, unfortunately for him, Katara had been the one graced with the eloquence genes, and Sokka had almost failed his junior year English lit class.

“Nah, just us two girls – gotta have one catch up before Katara goes back to saving the world!” Suki told Zuko, as cheerful as ever, and Zuko nodded. As Suki put on her own coat, Katara made her way into the kitchen again, pocketing her eftpos card and ID, before smiling at Suki.

“Sorry for the mess Sokka and I made.” Katara said, and Zuko laughed and shook his head. “Have fun at the movies, Sokka I’m just gonna put my bag down, then do you wanna order a pizza or something?” Zuko asked, turning back to look at him, and Sokka had to remind himself that normal, non-crisis having people actually moved, and didn’t just stand in the middle of their lounge all gormless.

“Sure, sounds good!” Sokka said, and Zuko nodded before going into his room, and closing the door behind him. Sokka jumped over the couch and planted himself in front of the door, blocking the two girls.

“What are you doing?” He hissed, panic making his voice thick, and Katara nudged him out of the way.

“You two need to talk, and I’m sure neither of you want us around when you sort yourselves out.” Katara explained calmly, and Suki nodded beside her. Sokka stepped out of the way of the door, and the two girls passed him, Suki leaving him with a small pat on his shoulder.

The usual soft-click of the door closing was suddenly the loudest sound Sokka had heard in his life.


	4. Chapter 4: Bold of you to assume I have any idea what I'm doing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the couch, Zuko was looking at him with wide arms. His pyjama shirt had rucked up and the blanket was pooled on his lap from where Sokka had kicked it off.
> 
> "I need- You just- God, dud you have no idea how much you're fucking killing me here with your hair and your pj's and the blanket and like. Your neck? Has it always looked like that? That's a weird thing to say but you've been driving me fucking crazy all afternoon."
> 
> Sokka had no idea what he was saying. From Zuko's facials, he had no idea either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight spoilers for John Wick, some would say a promotion of a certain pizza company, and finally, _finally_ , these two getting together.  
> Only took me like, 8 months.  
> note: I wrote this in the space of two hours and i'm posting at midnight, and and all mistakes are mine and i'll do a read through of this later on!

Sokka raced around the living room, piling his books and hoodie and anything else within the couch's reach into his duvet cover. Balling it all up in his arms, Sokka made his way to his room and dumped everything on his bed.

Should he change his shirt? Is that too obvious? But he didn't want to sit next to Zuko in the one he was wearing now because he'd been wearing it for the past two days- God, he needed to shower.

Sokka was freaking out.

Any other time he would panic-text Katara, but Sokka remembered with a huff she was half of the reason he was in this position. Stupid sisters and stupid ex-girlfriends and stupid roommates who you end up liking, which. Shit. Zuko was surely getting out of his shower now. Sokka pulled off his dirty shirt and replaced it with a henley that was tossed over the back of his desk chair, and braced himself for the next however long the whole confrontation thing would take.

Of course he'd practically run into Zuko as he was closing his bedroom door behind him.

"Woah, buddy!" Sokka choked out, grabbing onto Zuko's forearms as he spun around. Zuko's skin was hot. His chest was searing red from the heat of the water, and his hair was dripping on his face.

"You good?" Zuko breathed, pulling Sokka's hands off of him slowly and averting his eyes to the floor. Sokka felt his heart sink, and cleared his throat.

"Pepperoni? With a barbecue sauce?" Sokka asked instead, and Zuko looked up at him with bright eyes.

"Wow? You know my pizza order and buy chocolate milk for us? Man for my heart." Zuko laughed, and Sokka felt his heart clench. He felt lucky, for once, that a blush wasn't that visible on his face - Sokka could feel the rush of heat from the bottom of his neck to the tips of his ears. Why was it that Zuko was now affecting him so much?

Sokka made his way over to the couch and slumped down, and could hear as Zuko shuffled around behind his closed bedroom door, likely getting into his ridiculous plaid pyjamas that made him look even more gorgeous than he already was.

Sokka squirmed and tried to stamp down his smile. This was ridiculous. He was a grown man. He'd gone face to face with Toph Beifong's parents while _drunk_ and _won._ He was practically an unstoppable force when it came to engineering, yet the idea of trying to tell his roommate he was harbouring a teeny tiny crush on him was ripping him apart from the inside out. What if he messed up? What if Katara and Suki were wrong and Zuko wasn't trying to make him jealous at all?

What if this ruined his and Zuko's friendship for good? That would be the worst thing to come of this. Because for all of Sokka's bravado, making close friendships with guys wasn't always easy for Sokka. The closest friend until he was about eight had been Katara, for fuck's sakes, and he'd pick Toph over and of his guy friends back home to talk to about a problem, and he'd pick Zuko over anyone for just about anything else.

Sokka felt scared, in all honesty. He'd almost forgotten he was meant to be ordering pizza, chewing on his lip with the obnoxious red webpage glaring at him from his laptop screen - and when had he even gotten that and logged in?? - and then Zuko's bedroom door was opening and Sokka could hear his soft footfalls as he made his way over to the couch.

"Bought my blanket, seeing as you put your duvet back in your room'" Zuko said, placing it on the couch between us. Sokka nodded, adding in his card details and delivery address. Zuko lay himself across the couch, his head leaning on the armrest and feet curling against Sokka's thigh. Their silence was comfortable - just like every other shared silence they'd been in for the past three-and-a-half months, either chilling or studying or recovering from hangovers.

Sokka closed his laptop softly, and placed it on the coffee table in front of them.

"How's Mai?" He asked, unsure of what to do with his hands. Usually he'd have one on the armrest, his fingers drumming with no particular rhythm, and the other on Zuko's calf, grasping it but not too tightly, his pyjama pants soft against Sokka's thigh.

Zuko sighed and shrugged.

"She's... Mai. I guess. I never know with her, which you think I would after being her best friend for like fifteen years but whatever. He dad's an asshole man. Like, on par with my dad which is fuckin' saying something. You know?" Zuko asked. His head was tipped back, the long line of his neck taut against his Adam's apple.

Sokka did know. Sokka remembered vividly, those months ago a few weeks after they'd met, when a game of truth or dare later the two of them had been sat in some dimly lit hallway at some frat house party they'd managed to get an invite to. They'd sat close so they didn't have to shout over the music thumping through the walls, Sokka's hands pulling at the flaky label of some cold beer he'd swiped from one of the older students in his intro to applied statistics class. They were still in that stage of roommate-not-quite-friend but of their relationship. Zuko had come out to him only a few days earlier, and Sokka was trying to decipher if this meant he could tell him the reason he'd had to call Toph over one day at 3am was because he'd wedged himself between his bed and wall to see if he could use the position of his body to suck his own dick.

He'd told Toph it was a bet. It was a bet. A very badly thought out bet that left more pain than gain, and a prayer up above that Toph was blind so he could call her for emergencies like that. 

But Sokka hadn't even managed to crack open a joke to breach the subject before Zuko was covering Sokka's hands with his own and sighing. And the thing with Zuko, right, was that he sighed a lot. At everything. Sokka had only known the guy three weeks but he was able to know that one type of sigh meant he was happy, and one that lasted more than 4 seconds meant he was angry, and one that didn't make any sound at all meant he was about .3 seconds away from losing his shit.

This sigh was a sigh Sokka hadn't heard before. So he looked up at Zuko, in those dark dark brown eyes with the bits of gold speckled in - and really, that was the sort of thing you only read in bad romance novels but here he was - and listened as Zuko spilled his guts about his dad and the corrupt law firm he owned and how him and his sister were now half way through one of Chicago's biggest lawsuits in the history of the city and that coming to university was probably the biggest mistake of his life.

Sokka looked back at Zuko, who lolled his head upwards to meet his gaze.

"Well, if you or Mai ever need anything you know that I'm always here. And Toph. And even though I know you're not her biggest fan Suki is real close with Ty-Lee now so I'm sure she wouldn't mind helping Mai out either." Sokka supplied, his hand clamping down on Zuko's knee and squeezing.

Zuko made a sound in the back of his throat and he nodded.

"Thanks, dude. Means a lot." Zuko smiled, and Sokka felt butterflies erupt in his stomach.

"Keen to watch a movie? Or have you got to study?" Zuko asked, wiggling his toes into Sokka's thigh. Sokka thought about it. He had a calculus assignment he was halfway through and three pre-labs he was behind on but-

Well. Katara and Suki would probably not give him any more chances for him to put on his big boy boots and say what he wanted to say for himself. 

"Nah, I'll watch a movie with you. What were you thinking?" Sokka asked, pulling his laptop off the coffee table again and bringing up Netflix.

"I don't know why, but I've had that John Wick scene in my head all day. You know the one about 'a fuckin' pencil'." Zuko imitated, hand gestures and all, and Sokka laughed.

"Oh man, John Wick. I haven't watched that movie in ages." Sokka said, immediately typing it into the search bar. A knock on the door interrupted their silence, and Zuko made a noice before getting up and going to grab the pizza delivery. Sokka fumbled with the HDMI chord and his screen brightness settings while he did so, and by time Zuko was back to the couch, two pizza boxes and a bottle of Coke in hand, the movie was ready to go.

And it was fine. So what if Sokka felt like he was a live fucking wire the whole thing through. Even the fight scenes, which generally calmed down his jittery-ness, was making him even more shaky. Every bite of pizza felt like cardboard, the coke was too fizzy, and Zuko's legs, which were slung over Sokka's under the blanket they were sharing, were hot and heavy.

Sokka could barely breathe. Sokka couldn't move. All Sokka could do was smell Zuko's expensive shampoo and fiddle with his thumbs in his lap and hope that Zuko would just put down his tense aura to exam stress.

Or not.

"Dude, are you okay?" Zuko mumbled, chugging some of the Coke from the bottle, and Sokka choked on spit.

"Sokka?" Zuko asked. Stern. Worried. Sokka couldn't handle it.

"I need- Tap out time!" Sokka yelled, pushing Zuko off him and slamming the laptop lid shut, the movie cutting off just before John was about to be suffocated with the plastic bag. The room had gone dark, around them. Sokka pushed his hair out of his face and walked over to the light switch, aggressively flicking it on and breaking the spell that watching a movie in the dark does to you.

On the couch, Zuko was looking at him with wide arms. His pyjama shirt had rucked up and the blanket was pooled on his lap from where Sokka had kicked it off.

"I need- You just- God, dud you have no idea how much you're fucking killing me here with your hair and your pj's and the blanket and like. Your neck? Has it always looked like that? That's a weird thing to say but you've been driving me fucking crazy all afternoon."

Sokka had no idea what he was saying. From Zuko's facials, he had no idea either.

"You just. You... Look. I'm sorry okay. I'm sorry for being such an asshole when you've bought guys over. It's because I was insanely jealous and had no idea how to react and it wasn't even until like, four hours ago when I realised it was jealousy I was feeling!" Sokka exhaled, gesticulating with his hands. Zuko raised his eyebrow.

"You've been acting like a dick to me and your hook-ups because you're jealous?" Zuko asked.

Oh boy. Here it was.

"I don't see why you'd be jealous, Sokka. You're completely capable of getting with plenty of other girls - you just need to take the first step after breaking up with Suki, is all." Zuko said, and-

What?

_What?_

Hello?

Zuko thought-

"You think I'm jealous because I'm not sleeping with as many people as you?" Sokka gaped, his heart plummeting to somewhere near his knees, and Zuko tilted his head as if to say "Yes?".

"I'm not- That's not- Zuko I'm jealous with all the guys you're sleeping with because they're not me. It's not me you're sleeping with. I want to be the one sleeping with you. And more stuff, like, hold your hand and cook you dinner in a romantic way and like help you fix your bed bc I helped break it not just because I'm your roommate and like..."

Sokka's voice died as he watched Zuko's facials play out in front of him. What turned to scepticism turned to confusion turned to something completely unreadable that Sokka reckoned some of the CIA's best couldn't decipher. His heart dropped through the floor.

"You're jealous... Of the guys I'm sleeping with because... Because you want to sleep with me? Like you're jealous-jealous?" Zuko clarified, his words long and slow.

Sokka let out a hysterical laugh. Then clamped his hand over his mouth; wiped his other hand through his hair again.

"Yeah." Sokka said, because what else was there to say? That Zuko was his best friend and he never wanted to lose him? That the nearly four months living together had been the most fun Sokka had ever had and he probably would have dropped out by now if it wasn't for Zuko's meal plans and paired work outs and late night study dates?

Which apparently Sokka did say, because his big mouth and small brain didn't get the whole 'shut up' memo, and then Zuko was standing and coming up to Sokka, the blanket falling on the ground as he stepped over the coffee table.

_He's always had those long leg_ s, thought Zuko, before he was standing with just a foot between them, his arms crossed and that unreadable look still etched on his features.

"You... You like me? Like for real?" Zuko asked. His voice was quiet, and there was a blush creeping up his neck. Sokka sighed.

"Yeah. Like a lot, obviously, if that embarrassing spiel didn't like, clarify it." Sokka shrugged.

Zuko scratched his head.

"So like... the flirting...?" Zuko asked, and Sokka wrung his hands together.

"That was like? Joking? I think? But also looking back at it like I definitely did touch you a lot and I liked touching you and also it gave me butterflies when you like, complimented me and touched me back and stuff." Sokka shrugged. He'd never felt so nervous in his life, a part from waiting for his dad to get back from all his off-shore trips on the rigs when he and Katara was little.

"Like. I get it if you don't like me! I've been a dick and also I'm like your roommate and we're bro's and whatever but I just. Katara and Suki just let me clear some things up and I just needed to tell you because these past two or so hours just sitting by you made me want to crawl out of my skin with how on edge I was and thinking about this going on for like the rest of the year was-"

"I've been trying to get over you since I met you, Sokka." Zuko cut in. No malice in his words or anything, but Sokka felt like he had been sucker punched. Also his heart was back in his chest, beating wildly.

"And like, the flirting was always real for me but I played it off as a joke because you did, but it was like a way to get to touch you or whatever without being creepy? And all the guys I bought back was to try and get over you but you'd always interject, like when you walked in on me and Adam and then when you came home when Jet was over and like that other guy when we were trying to study. And I always thought that you were just your local fuck boy - not that I mean that in a bad way, of course - and that you were just comfortable in your sexuality or whatever and so... yeah. I do like you." Zuko finishes. It's the most Sokka has ever heard him speak, apart from that time he told him about his dad, and Sokka doesn't know what to say.

So, naturally:

"I thought my jealousy was homophobia. I actually had a crisis in the middle of a cafe with Toph to pat me on the shoulder, about being a homophobe." Sokka admitted.

Zuko's laugh in response was deep. For the second time that day Sokka was blushing - he could feel it all over, his chest, neck, cheeks, ears - but watching Zuko laugh, his head tipped back and neck exposed and shoulder shaking.

He was beautiful, really, and Sokka was shocked to realise that how he felt looking at him now was how he'd felt for the past two months, easily.

"I never took you for the jealous type, Sokka." Zuko mumbled, smiling at him shyly, and Sokka shrugged.

The room was silent, again. Zuko's laughter had died down and Sokka's nervousness was back in full force.

"So-"

"Can I try something?" Zuko asked, his eyes blazing, and Sokka's attempt at an ice breaker died in his throat. He nodded.

Zuko clenched his fists into his biceps, his arms still crossed, before dropping them to his sides and taking a step closer. The smell of his shampoo was over-powering, reminding Sokka of those few moments ago when they were still sat on the couch.

"Is it... Can I kiss you?" Zuko asked, his voice soft and face so _so_ close. Sokka nodded, licking his lips.

Zuko cradled his head with one hand, the other resting delicately on his waist. Sokka's hands drifted to Zuko's hips of their own accord, and Sokka could see Zuko's individual eyelids this close, some tiny freckles under his eyes, his lips slightly cracked and then-

And then they were kissing. Sokka's heart hammered in his chest, and his hands were sweating. How the hell was he getting this riles up by a simple kiss? Zuko's hand pulled on his hair slightly, and Sokka tightened his grip on Zuko's shirt, afraid if he let loose he'd fall to a puddle of mush on the floor.

The kiss, realistically, probably only lasted a few seconds, but Sokka felt like he was floating for hours. Zuko pulled away though, his cheeks bright red and his eyes twinkling, looking down at Sokka's hands that were clenched tight around his shirt.

Sokka was adamant the next sound he made out of his mouth was not a giggle, but whatever.

"I...There's the policy about roommates dating and everything and I know you're a stickler for the rules but-"

"You wanna date me?" Zuko asked, shocked, and Sokka looked at him.

He was smiling like a goof, despite the confusion he was feeling.

"I. Yes? Yes. Very much so." Sokka confirmed, nodding, and Zuko's face split into the widest smile Sokka had seen on the other boy, before he was surging in for another kiss - his lips, cheeks, forehead. Sokka's heart had stopped beating, now, Sokka content having died and clearly been resurrected in this place of bliss. He pulled Zuko in for a hug, almost scared to let go.

"This really. Isn't how I was expecting my first year of uni to go." Zuko admitted, his head resting in the crook of Sokka's shoulder. Sokka nodded.

"Man, you're telling me. I have to like, come out. Wait, do I have to come out? Does it count if Katara and Suki already know? Because Katara has most definitely told Aang, and Toph probably knows, and like obviously you can tell Mai and Ty-Lee if I've told all my friends-"

"Sokka. Chill. We've only been dating for like three minutes. It will be fine." Zuko assured, taking one of Sokka's hands in his own and linking their fingers together.

Sokka should object. Should tell him about how likely it is they'll break up or that one of his extended family members is absolutely going to have a fit about him being gay and that Jet was gonna be a pain in the ass if he ever found out about them. But he didn't, because Zuko was still figthing keeping down his smile and his hand was heavy and warm in Sokka's, and they still had about half an hour of their movie and most of their pizza to finish.

Making them official could wait. Sokka had two months of non-platonic cuddling and flirting to make up for first anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. the dick sucking story was inspired by my friends flat mate (luckily did not get stuck so didn't have to call for help, but absolutely did terrify her lesbian flat mate who apparently refuses to go in his room now)  
> 2\. if any of you haven't seen John Wick, you really should because it's a top tier action movie with no women dying unnecessarily and also I love keanu reeves
> 
> This is it. The end. I have put off writing this for so so long because I just couldn't find the write words or dialogue or justice for it and really, the real life version of this story always melts my heart and I absolutely wanted to pay homage to that. Because that is some cute shit. Thank you so so much for all the kudos, the views and the comments. To everyone who has left a comment you're the reason this chapter finally made it to being posted, because I felt awful not bringing this story to closure for your sake. I really hope this delivers for you guys and you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed reading it. Again thanks for all the support, and maybe (hopefully before the year ends, but no promises) there might be a side piece to this in like, Zuko's POV or a "few months later thing"  
> if any of ya'll ever want to talk about atla or alok or these two or anything, you can find me on my [tumblr](https://brucewaynelesbian.tumblr.com/). Again, thank you so much if any of y'all are still reading this, catch you on the flip side!

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://selivakyle.tumblr.com/)


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